You need new tires if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they are
not being used. This is also true for the spare tire, if your
vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how fast this
aging takes place, including temperatures, loading
conditions, and in ation pressure maintenance. With
proper care and maintenance tires will typically wear out
before they degrade due to age. If you are unsure about
the need to replace your tires as they get older, consult
the tire manufacturer for more information.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched speci c tires for
your vehicle. The original equipment tires installed
on your vehicle, when it was new, were designed to
meet General Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Speci cation (TPC Spec) system rating. If you need
replacement tires, GM strongly recommends that
you get tires with the same TPC Spec rating. This
way, your vehicle will continue to have tires that are
designed to give the same performance and vehicle
safety, during normal use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over
a dozen critical speci cations that impact the
overall performance of your vehicle, including
brake system performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec number is molded
onto the tire’s sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread design, the
TPC Spec number will be followed by an MS for
mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on
page 5-60for additional information.
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Notice:If your vehicle has P225/60R16 size tires,
use tire chains only where legal and only when you
must. Use only SAE Class S-type chains that are
the proper size for your tires. Install them on
the front tires and tighten them as tightly as
possible with the ends securely fastened. Drive
slowly and follow the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. If you can hear the chains contacting
your vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until it stops. Driving too
fast or spinning the wheels with chains on will
damage your vehicle.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your vehicle’s tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have a blowout, here
are a few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire creates a drag that pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake
to a stop well out of the traffic lane.A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you would
use in a skid. In any rear blowout remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.
{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and training. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a at tire. If it is used for anything else,
you or others could be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, only use it for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
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